your thoughts on this business idea please...

[GordonJ]

On a 5x7 postcard there will be 7 listings (splitting the difference with you)

Their listing will have a biz name, but no phone number, people have to call you to get the referral, right so far?

These are leave behind cards alerting the homeowner (if not at home) the service was done, say the pool cleaner.

The 6 other guys could be a carpet cleaner, deck cleaner, roofer, carpenter, plumber and an electrician.

So the pool guy comes, cleans my pool, leaves the card.

Why do I not just throw it away? It is the hit and mostly miss approach like the 9x12 guys, the coupon booklets, the valpaks or just the landscaper with his own 5x7 card to leave behind with a referral offer, some cash for his current customer.

So I have to be in the market for another service when this is left behind.

As for referrals working, absolutely, which is why Angie's list is one of the first stops millions are going to for reliable referrals.

Now, you've got 7 businesses paying 19.95 a month, you taking in 140 bux per month per area, and you have 350 postcards printed 50 each.

Now you have to contact the 7 businesses, sell them on the benefit of being on one of these drop off cards. If it is free for them, you may find a few who figure one lead pays the monthly fee. Is it month to month or a signed contract for a given length, cause if 2 drop out then you need to print newer postcards.

Imagine you have 5 areas in your town, N, S, E, W and Central city.

7 businesses become 35 unless they get all the areas, and do they pay by the "neighborhood" 19.95 a month per area?

Who mans the phone when someone calls in? And who calls or emails the lead to the business?

Having spent the last two years testing this very niche, let me be candid...

I think you had a better idea a few months back, but gave up on it just a little too soon...the 9x6 with 6 advertisers, and email solicitation...

this idea is going to be a nightmare if you do it, TEST heavily before you invest much time or money into.

Being in this game, not a 10 foot pole away would I consider it,

But good for you for thinking about things

GordonJ

PS. You might want to take a look at what you were doing and see if you can marry it with this one.

Originally Posted by WillyWallace

Hi Gordon- thanks for your input!

Allow me to clarify if I can, with 3 highlights of the program:

1)The business gets something to leave behind to remind customers they were by that day and performed a service. I have a pool cleaner and a landscaper- I wouldn't know if they were at my house unless I saw them. "Thanks for your business!"...that sort of thing.

2)The business can use it as a way to ask for direct referrals.

3)Finally- the customer will see the other non-competing home service businesses listed, along with a discount to try another service(s). "The Best Of NAME OF NEIGHBORHOOD" or whatever tagline I come up with.

There can be anywhere from 5-10 different home service businesses listed...but only one per business category. This is where the cross-referral comes in, as I personally would rather reach out to the window cleaner guy referred by my landscaper, than go out and find one on my own...people like referrals.

There are no ads, although that might be the way to share each business on the card...not sure on that part yet.

I'm sure there are lots of businesses that leave their own referral/we were here card, which I think is good business. But, at least where I live...I have never personally seen any. Lots of small business owners aren't that good at marketing.

If a business gets just ONE referral from the program...they still come out ahead. If $19.95 is the monthly fee to participate, and the landscaper gets ONE new monthly paying customer at ~$100(I pay $190 myself)...why wouldn't they continue to pay the $19.95 ? Or the bug guy at $30-$40 ? Still makes more than he is paying for the program, but now has another customer to get more referrals from, more work down the road, etc.

In regards to running out of postcards- I haven't thought that far ahead as of yet...I literally thought about the idea, then shared it here for input.

Thanks again!